§ 2. Mr. A. Brownasked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks in England and Wales are equipped with coin boxes unable to receive pennies.
§ Mr. BevinsI assume that the hon. Member is referring to the new coin box being provided in areas where subscriber trunk dialling is in operation and where the tariff is framed on the basis of 3d. units. Up to now, about 1,000 of these new coin boxes have been installed in England and Wales.
§ Mr. BrownIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the absence of slots to receive pennies in the coin boxes of these kiosks is causing both annoyance and inconvenience to the public?
§ Mr. BevinsThat may be true to a limited extent at the present time, but the new coin boxes will not take big coins because the unit charge under the new system is 3d. I have arranged with the Royal Mint that there shall be plentiful supplies of 3d. pieces in these areas.
§ Mr. W. R. WilliamsCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether the study 422 group which was set up to consider the coin box designs has submitted its final report to him yet? Before he makes a decision on the particular model which he is to adopt, will he be so good as to place one or several of them in one of the rooms of this House so that hon. Members can see exactly what sort of design he has in mind?
§ Mr. BevinsThe decision on the new coin box was taken following the advice of the Post Office Advisory Committee in 1955. With regard to the design of the new kiosk itself, I will certainly consider the hon. Gentleman's suggestion.